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Marbling is the process of layering tinted glazes over a white or colored basecoat to create a marble-like finish. Great for fireplaces and mantles.
Tools you will need: Paint (base color, 1st glaze color, 2nd glaze color, veining color), natural sea sponge, artist's brush, feather and dishes.
Here's how:
Dab on the first color with a damp sponge over the entire work area. Allow the basecoat color to show through. Apply the second glaze color in the same manner as above. Mottle the two colors a bit with sponge or scrunched plastic.
Using the veining glaze and artist's brush drag or push some glaze across the mottled colors to imply the presence of veins.
Add highlights or crystaline marks inside the wider veins with the feather.
HINT: Do not overload the sponges and blot off extra paint. Try to imitate the natural variation seen in real marble - asymmetry is the key. Natural veins have lots of contrast besides color. For example, veins may be long or short, narrow or wide, continuous or broken, parallel or angled.
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Byron White |